


i shouldn't have loved you, honey.

by tyccoco



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Neighbors, Drabble, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan is Whipped, Light Angst, M/M, Unrequited Crush, markren implied
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-03
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-16 08:27:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29822163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tyccoco/pseuds/tyccoco
Summary: Except that their first meeting leaves a strong impression on Donghyuck. He wouldn't expect himself to somehow get awestruck by the presence of a sweet, smiley boy holding a cookie jar tied with vermilion-colored ribbon. Donghyuck's chest aches, even more, when he introduced himself in honey dripping voice, "My name is Huang Renjun!"
Relationships: Huang Ren Jun/Lee Donghyuck | Haechan
Kudos: 9





	i shouldn't have loved you, honey.

**Author's Note:**

> this is actually my first nct works that i published here... and yes renhyuck rent free in my head!

Renjun is unusually festive and excited this morning. He used to be the person scolding the noisy ones, but today he doesn't even suppress his blaring screech, transpierced through the non-soundproof walls mercilessly.

That's when his neighbor, Lee Donghyuck, woke up without needing any alarm for the first time.

_Donghyuck just knew Renjun for about a year ago. Nothing special happened at their first meeting when Renjun knocked at Donghyuck's doorway to offer some fresh baked cookies. He explained that giving food to newcomers is slowly becoming his habit, simply to welcome with hope that they'd feel comfortable in their relatively new residence. Shortly, they were just neighbors who respect privacy and learning to not mind any business._

_Except that their first meeting leaves a strong impression on Donghyuck. He wouldn't expect himself to somehow get awestruck by the presence of a sweet, smiley boy holding a cookie jar tied with vermilion-colored ribbon. Donghyuck's chest aches, even more, when he introduced himself in honey dripping voice, "My name is Huang Renjun!"_

_Curiosity suddenly grew, and at the beginning, Donghyuck was opposing his feelings, thinking it’ll humiliate his pride. He refused to admit how impactful Renjun's endearing smile damaging his poor little heart. But the more he tried to deny, the more his mind deluged with everything about Renjun._

_Donghyuck has fallen in love._

_Even if Renjun has gone crazy, Donghyuck would still stare at him lovingly nonetheless._

"Renjun-ah, are you trying to wake up the whole apartment? You ruined my sleep too. Shut up," Donghyuck straightforwardly called to chime in harsh complaint. Anything to hide his joyfulness because he could listen to Renjun's voice before sunrise, which is bliss.

"Donghyuck! Donghyuck!" Certainly, Renjun is possibly losing his sanity if he continued screaming incoherently through the speaker like that. "Gosh, Donghyuck come here now! I need to tell you something! This is big news!"

_Did he win a competition? Donghyuck studied Renjun's hobbies, consisting of painting and visual novel character designing. Renjun often shares his experience in drawing classes, and that he's eager to showcase his skills in promising platforms. Donghyuck has always been supportive and approving Renjun's passion when according to Renjun, his parents never think the same way. For them, Renjun is more suitable to pursue math or science field based on his major. But Renjun is done following other people's command, eventually picking up his barely touched pastel oils again and back being a maestro out of his dream._

_But if it's about winning a competition, Renjun actually did that months ago. When the winner was announced in the morning as well and Renjun got first place as he deserved. But Donghyuck didn't hear any scream nor shouting from the side. Renjun just shed tears, helplessly losing the balance of his feet due to over-happiness._

As Donghyuck wears his grey baggy hoodie and preparing to go outside with his keys, he then remembered something else. The last time Renjun created a fuss out of the blue.

_Right, it's when Renjun was able to make a successful macaron after several trials and errors. Renjun almost gave up to see endless cracks on the surface of the shells, but Donghyuck encouraged him to stand and try again. Both of them aren't the best cooks, but Donghyuck did an effort for research to send feedbacks on what Renjun might've missed. When Donghyuck suggested Renjun to use cream tartar and gel food coloring instead of liquid to avoid broken and wet meringue consistency, Renjun immediately jolted at the satisfying result he was looking for all this time._

_Donghyuck wasn't there in his kitchen, but he heard Renjun's upbeat shouting. It's been a while since Donghyuck felt proud and glad over something insignificant, who would guess that Renjun would bring up that side of him again._

_Maybe something like that is the most accurate reason._

"Donghyuck..."

Standing in front of Renjun rather makes him nervous. He had visited Renjun's unit multiple times but his twitchiness keeps appearing from nowhere. Though, Donghyuck puts the best act as he smiled casually. Pretending he wasn't in the middle of talking with his crush or something.

"Donghyuck, at last Mark proposed to me."

The act vanished in a blink, only leaving Donghyuck's widened eyes at every single word out of Renjun's mouth. His lips won't curl upwards anymore, and all the small exciting uneasiness that harmonizes his heartbeat are all completely gone in thin air.

Renjun remains the same. Smiling, gratified like he is supposed to feel.

"Oh, congratulations!" Donghyuck childishly claps. Faking his wide exuberant smile, almost too professionally. "Finally he did that!"

_Finally._

_Donghyuck knew for a long time. Renjun's heart belongs to someone else._

_Because by the time Donghyuck's gaze was heading towards Renjun, he realized that Renjun is always laughing with someone over the phone. When Donghyuck brushes it off thinking it could just be some friend of him, the world decided to make him suffer. Donghyuck saw the man waiting for Renjun outside his unit, then when the door opened, Renjun rushes to hugs him into an embrace. Way too romantic to be called platonic._

_Renjun then told Donghyuck about his boyfriend, Lee Mark. They met at a National Art Exhibition, and Mark was intrigued with Renjun’s ambition and insights into artistry. Mark is currently having a stable job as a businessman, their parents are quite close, and is planning to have a marriage soon enough._

"I couldn't imagine surviving this whole loneliness without you, Hyuck," Renjun rapidly shakes his head, hand patting Donghyuck's frozen shoulders. While Renjun is on top of the world, Donghyuck’s heart sinks at the sight of Renjun's fingers that soon no longer empty. "Will you help me with something today? Of course, I'll help you back with anything."

Donghyuck dejectedly lifts his head, throwing subtle stupefaction.

"First, help me bake cookies so I can say sorry to the neighbors, and...," The latter must be something very obvious, and Donghyuck saw it coming. He just thought that maybe this time the world would sprinkle him a pinch of kindness, an undefined hope. "... Suggest me something i should wear for tonight's dinner date with Mark. I should look nice and neat. Your fashion sense is great, Hyuck! So why don't you..."

And of course, the world decided to mess up with him again. Donghyuck should've not stopped fighting his forbidden feelings back then if he stood up for his own sake. He was supposed to bury it, not letting it grow. Once it gets bigger, it'll be hard to smash it to pieces as it might hurt a lot.

_All that matters to him is Renjun’s brilliant smile that matches the starry sky._

**Author's Note:**

> of course i wrote this during class, hurray!


End file.
